The second match of the South Africa Tour of Sri Lanka delivered explosive entertainment at the Colombo Stadium, where Sri Lanka clinched a 5-wicket win to level the 3-match T10 series. What looked like a towering South African total was dramatically pulled back by a sensational bowling spell from Angelo Mathews, who produced a match-winning hat-trick in the 8th over, turning the momentum entirely towards Sri Lanka.
South Africa began aggressively, riding on the fluent stroke play of Temba Bavuma (40 off 12, SR 333.33) and *Reeza Hendricks (32 off 9, SR 355.56)**. The Proteas raced to 135/7 in their 10 overs, with quickfire contributions from Quinton de Kock (17 off 10) and Marco Jansen (19 off 8) helping maintain a strong scoring rate throughout the innings.
But the real turning point came when Sri Lanka’s senior all-rounder Angelo Mathews unleashed a devastating spell. He not only dismissed Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, and Wayne Parnell in consecutive balls, but also added a fourth wicket shortly after, finishing with 4/29 in 2 overs. His hat-trick in the 8th over derailed South Africa’s surge and prevented what could easily have been a total above 150.
Chasing 136, Sri Lanka got off to an explosive start with Dinesh Chandimal smashing 44 off just 12 balls (SR 366.67), dismantling South Africa’s powerplay plans. Despite early wickets at the other end, Chandimal’s fireworks kept Sri Lanka well ahead of the rate.
After his dismissal, Danushka Gunathilaka (45 off 18) took charge, maintaining the attacking tempo and ensuring the pressure stayed on South Africa’s bowlers. His boundary-filled innings stabilized the chase and created the platform for a comfortable finish.
With the chase under control, Wanindu Hasaranga (15 off 5)* and Dhananjaya de Silva (11 off 4)* guided Sri Lanka home to 138/5 in 8.4 overs, securing a 5-wicket win with more than an over to spare.
The star of the night, Angelo Mathews, was rightfully awarded Man of the Match for his remarkable spell, highlighted by his hat-trick—one of the defining moments of the series.
This match will long be remembered for Angelo Mathews’ game-changing hat-trick and Sri Lanka’s fearless top-order hitting. With the series now tied 1-1, the decider promises to be a thrilling showdown between two teams playing high-octane T10 cricket at its best.